Dealer Wins
by Raynidreams
Summary: Spoilers up to 3.05.  Be warned!  Sam's at the Crossroads and he's ready to deal.


Title: Dealer Wins

Author: RireneC

Summary: Spoilers up to 3.05. Be warned!

This is inspired by the promo pictures I've seen of Sam at the Crossroads. It is a little ficlet for Halloween. AU.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Do you see an Impala parked anywhere on my minuscule drive? No. Sigh. All rights to Eric Kripke and the CW.

A/N: Bold equals Sam's thoughts. Un-beta'd, so any mistakes are mine. Sorry!

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The young man checked he was dead centre, and then buried the box; patting the gravelly earth down. When finished, he straightened slowly, letting his head hang so he could continue to look at the spot. **This is it**.

Few a few blissful moments, he let the quiet of the land envelop him: the wind caressed his warm brown hair and the total quiet left a soft ringing in his ears.

Eventually, he lifted his face, impatiently brushing back the fallen strands. The sight that greeted his eyes was still that of darkness and dust. **Come on, Come on**. "Please..." His voice was tired and small, but it spoke volumes to the amount of strain he was under.

"You lost there, sugar?" a deep velvety voice enquired abruptly from behind him. The unconscious action of spinning towards that sound was like pulling a hand from a flame. Unfortunately, it was a bad analogy: he wasn't jumping from the heat to safety; he was aiming head-first, straight into the hell's fire.

Sam faced the approaching woman, and then released the breath he'd not even been aware he was holding. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Is it you?"

The woman's eyes deepened from a warm brown to a seductive red. "Depends upon who you're looking for, little Sammy.' Something like appreciation sharpened in her gaze. 'Mind you, looking at you now, I can't see why they call you little. What a tidy set you Winchesters are - handsome tin solders in a box. Makes a girl feel protected."

"You're no girl." he said, unknowingly echoing his brother's comment from months before.

"Ouch. Now you don't want to overplay you're hand if your here to barter,' she admonished him gently before moving closer. 'Now, let me look at you. Our crown prince. I have to say, I'm impressed." The demon stopped just shy of Sam's boots, and as he didn't stop her, she raised a hand to his chest, opening a V in his shirt front. Tenderly the woman ran a finger down the groove she found there. Underneath the pale skin, his heart speed up from the rush of adrenalin in response to that touch. It hitched a her smile up, and she raised her dark gaze to his blanketed one.

"What do you want Sam?"

"Release Dean."

"No can do sweetie. Your brother made me forgo Evan. Can't miss out on my pay packet again – especially not when it is so sweet."

"Me for Dean." The finger that was still pressed to Sam's chest registered his heavier breathing and the shimmer of sweat that began to pearl.

"Oh. So that's what you hoped for honey?' She tilted her head to the side looking into his eyes, and then shook her head gently, 'Sorry. No."

"Do you want me to beg? I don't care if it is the same deal Dad got and you take me now. Just leave my body away from the road so Dean won't know what I've done.' He could see the refusal in her face. 'Please? I can't let him go like that. Not for me."

"Aww. Poor boy. You poor, tormented boys. If I had a heart, this would break it.' She took a step back. 'Sorry Sam. Even if I wanted to break the deal, I really shouldn't. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but someone already has your soul marked out.' She moved further away, raising her hands to forestall the questions she knew he was going to ask, 'And no. I won't tell you who, or why."

Sam reached cautiously behind, slipping the colt, with its newly moulded bullets from his waist. "Then you leave me with no choice.' He raised the gun, and pulled the hammer back. His arm was steady as he pointed the revolver at her chest.

"Is that what I think it is?" While still appearing to be amused, her borrowed mouth sank a little around the corners.

He couldn't hesitate. She would just drop the body and go. It was now or never. **Shoot her. **Sam's finger tightened on the trigger. The woman could see his determination and she suddenly wasn't so amused any more. The demon prepared to flee the body.

"Don't! You'll still die. It isn't worth it." she said trying to stall him.

**Not worth it? My life for Dean's?** Sam laughed and then fired. Smoke lit around the gun, and it took him a moment to realise that his bubbling mirth had made him miss her heart. The bullet lodged in the demon's shoulder. A red hole appeared and he waited for the rush of blood but none came.

Sam raised the gun again, preparing to kill the demon. Her pained sniger stopped him. "Well, Sammy. I thought you were supposed to be the gentle one. The compassionate one. I guess that back from the dead thing really screwed you up inside.' The bullet while not killing either the body or the demon, seemed to prevent the demon from running. Whatever magic made it tick had grounded her for now. 'In those brief seconds before the life seeps from you, think about this. You summoned me. This body was nearest and so I chose it. You knew what you were going to do when you called me. You knew I'd possess the nearest young woman. This,' she flicked a hand to the colt and then back to herself, 'was premeditated. You'll be a murderer."

Sam pressed his lips together in determination; his breathing coming harsh through his pink rimmed nose. He could feel sweat lining the grooves in the pentagram carved into the wooden handle of the colt.

"I can read her mind you know. She works as a manager of a store. Has a husband and a young baby. Such a nice, normal and happy existence... and you are about to take it away for Dean. A man who knew the score and made the deal anyway. Why does this girl deserve to die for just being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" She could feel the magic of the bullet weakening along with Sam's resolve.

**She walked in on us. Wrong place, wrong time. **The young man slumped. When he looked up, she had come near again and the smile was back on her face. The bullet hole was perfectly visible through the black strappy dress she wore. It was an ugly reminder of the two humans he'd already killed to waste their demon hosts.

"Now Sam. Why don't we call this good night? Your out of things to do, or say. And I, for one, just dodged a bullet.' She pressed a warm kiss to his throat. 'No hard feelings. I get that you're distressed. It's gotta be hard, having to finally stand on your own two feet without John or Dean watching out for you." She pulled back but Sam stopped her by snaking his free hand and arm around her waist.

"Dean... he..." he stuttered agonised.

"Sam. Let me go. Getting shot has kinda killed my libido for this evening. If you change your mind about following your destiny, look me up then. But try candles and wine next time."

"Dean's – we, we're on a hunt. I'll make a deal. You save these people from whatever is hurting them and you can have me." His grip tightened as he waited for her to reply.

"Oh baby.' She sucked in a sweet breath. 'I'd really piss off downstairs if I did...' Sam could read the temptation in her red eyes, 'But it would be _so_ good to have you both. A set, minus daddy that is.' The tip of her tongue peaked out from behind her teeth. 'Okay."

"You accept? You'd save these people in return for my soul?"

"You got it. You should have been a lawyer. They always know how to bargain. I'm only gonna give you five years though. You did try to shoot me after all. And that way, if you do turn into the Omen, I can sweet talk my way around those who have you sighted."

"I don't need five years. When you collect on Dean, you collect on me too."

Running her hands up his arms, the demon pursed her mouth. "Now I've never had that before. A customer raising the price. Not so bright.'

"My reasons are my own." Worried she was reconsidering, he tightened the grip he had on the demon.

"I wanna know. What have you got cooking up in that brain of yours?"

Sam sighed. He couldn't look at her now. "I don't want him to be alone."

The demon laughed and pulled herself up to his mouth.

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The growl of the Impala was so unmistakable that, it had a relieved Dean running to the door before Sam even got chance to cut the engine. Dean rounded on the car; first in concern, and then in anger when he realised that his little brother was not hurt. He had gone off alone willingly.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?' Sam almost laughed at the unwitting truth in that statement. 'You just take the car and fuck off into the night? Right in the middle of a hunt. Jeeze Sam. If you're gonna trauma, do it in downtime. I'm totally fed up with you going AWOL all the while. I've been going crazy." Dean snatched the keys from his brother's hands and marched him back into the motel room.

"Hey Bobby.' Sam greeted the older man, 'Has he been acting all pissy again?" he asked jerking his head at Dean.

Bobby stood up with a frown. "You okay son? What happened?"

"Nothing. I couldn't sleep, went for a drive and to get breakfast,' he shook the brown bag he'd brought, 'I wanted to eat something that wasn't unidentifiable matter, reformed and then deep fried. I got you guy's something too.' He stopped at the almost comical look of shocked outrage on Dean's face.

"You went for food? And you didn't think to take your freaking phone with you?" Dean shook the Treo in Sam's face. The younger Winchester took the phone from him, smiling down at his elder brother.

"Dude, it wasn't charged. Look I'm okay. Chill out.' When Dean showed no intention of backing down, Sam held up his hands in surrender. 'Look, I won't do it again. For one - all I could find was shit food, and two, - it's fucking embarrassing when you do this." The younger man settled on to the single away from his brother, glancing in amusement at Bobby. The older man gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, please don't do it again Sam. Momma Bear here charged into my room at 7am this morning and he's been on hot coals ever since."

"I've only been gone a couple of hours. I wanted to clear my head a bit too. I was trying to get to the bottom of this hunt..." Sam paused and cast a speculative look at the others.

"Well, you don't need to worry about that. Whatever was happening to these people has stopped."

"What do you mean stopped?" Relief blossomed in the young man's chest as he felt the burn of the demon's kiss on his lips.

"She called and said that everything was fine. Bobby went and checked, while I waited here for your greedy ass. Everything is clean, no demons. Which was why I was so damn worried. You didn't have your phone. You were gone. The demons were gone. The fucking colt was gone - doesn't take Einstein to come up with a theory."

"Yeah well, your theory was...' Sam's comeback was cut short by the door crashing open and the lights beginning to flicker. He slipped the colt from his pants and raised it towards the now open doorway. Dean and Bobby scrambled to either side of him, both holding out quickly snatched canisters of holy water.

"How could you Sam... You fool. After all I said, promised. I told you I'd help, but now you have fucking condemned you both!" Ruby stood in open frame. Her small body radiating energy and power. The wind outside had picked up and it flicked her long blonde hair into disarray. Her black eyes bore deep into Sam's soul with dark promises of the delights he could have had.

Almost lazily, Sam brought the colt up to aim at her heart. **Bobby shot her. She's already dead.** "I don't need any fallen angel on my shoulder. I just need my brother to watch my back you bitch." And with that he squeezed the trigger as tight as he could. Luckily the blast was covered by the sudden storm outside. Dean ran and grabbed the falling girl, bringing her into the room. With the last beats of her heart, the lights in her chest flicked yellow once, then twice and then stopped. Blood began to pour from the wound.

Bobby ran for the broken door and slammed it shut. The didn't need and prying eyes this evening.

"Holy Jesus!" Bobby stared open mouthed at the younger Winchester as he slowly lowered the gun. The young man's eyes were fixed on the girl and Dean.

"She was already dead." Sam whispered almost to himself.

Dean cleared his throat and lowered the woman to the floor. "So,' it was almost casual, 'out for breakfast. My ass!' In anger he grabbed Sam and forced him up against the wall. 'You want to tell me what you where really doing Sammy? And don't you dare fucking lie this time!"

"_Dean._" The elder boy fisted his hands tighter into his brother's shirt ignoring his plea.

"What did you do?"

Sam tried not to meet Dean's eye, but it was a little difficult when his brother's angry features were mere inches away. The moment their eyes clashed, Dean guessed the truth. He paled instantly.

"No. Sam, you didn't,' Not even waiting for a reply, Dean pushed himself away. 'How could you? I did this for you, for you! And you throw it all away for some strangers?"

Sam just leaned against the wall. He hadn't wanted Dean to find out. Not till the end. Not until the demon collected and they went together. Dean would understand then. Whatever they would face, they'd do it together.

The elder boy started to pace, running his hand up and down the back of his short hair in stress. He stopped, and then charged at Sam again, bringing up a mean right hook to the younger man's jaw. It connected and whipped Sam's head back for Dean only to continue forward and catch Sam as he lost his balance.

"Why Sammy. Am I that worthless you think my sacrifice means nothing?" Sam could tell Dean knew this wasn't the truth. Dean was just lashing out, aiming to cause as much pain as he was feeling. The younger man felt tears begin to prickle in his eyes. He pressed his face into the thin cotton of Dean's t-shirt and mumbled, "I didn't want to be alone. I didn't want you to be alone." Sam felt his brother's breath hitch at that statement and prepared himself for another onslaught; but Dean didn't move, except to bring a hand up to the back of Sam's head. Dean pressed softly on his brother's long hair, gently forcing Sam's face further into his own shoulder.

"You're a stupid little bitch, you know that?" Dean bit out, and was rewarded with a snorting hiccup.

Bobby had stood back from the two during the exchange. Not for the first time, he felt a little bit like an interloper. And, as he watched and understood, he felt like his heart would break for the third time in as many months. First Sam's death, then Dean's deal, and now Sam again. "So, dealer wins all." he said sadly. He didn't expect the boys to register his comment but Dean pulled back from Sam with an exasperated breath.

"Not in my fucking lifetime. Where's your damned research about the crossroads demon Sammy? She can't threaten me with you any more. I guess we'll just have to find a way to send her smoky ass back to hell."

Dean offered a hand which, after a moment Sam reached up and accepted. Dean growled as he hauled Sam to his feet, and then shifted to grab the laptop. He shoved it at his brother.

"Boot that mother up. Looks like we've got some exorcising to do. You own me totally for this you idiotic dickhead." Despite how panicked he was, Dean just couldn't quite quench the tiny bit of happiness that settled in his gut from knowing how much Sam cared and needed him.

Flicking a look to Bobby, Sam allowed himself a small smile of triumph. There was nothing to stop Dean fighting now.

The end.

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Happy Halloween!


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